As þe lewed man lyue, þou sest."
Line 10964
lytyl kan lasse þe lewed man
þan some of þesë prestës kan.
who ȝyuen hem more to worldly þyng
þan prestës do, for alle here prechyng?
ȝyf he be clerk, and euyl dous, [folio 73a]
Line 10969
Of hym ys nat to make no rous.
what vayleþ to vndyrstonde þe lettyr,
And hys lyfe be neuer þe bettyr?
Line 10972
Alle þat clergye, y telle it but lore,
when he lyueþ neuer þe bettyr þer-fore.
But how seyþ Salamon yn hys spellyng,
"wo þe land, þere chylde ys kyng!"
Line 10976
And wo þe folk, þat kan nat lyue
whan holy cherchë ys mys-ȝyue!
And to þe husbonde, wo ys [ys H, om. O.] hys lyfe,
þat haþ yn hys ['hys' omitted.] hous a fole to wyfe!
Line 10980
ȝe lordes, do ȝe Goddes ordynaunce,
And godë men ȝe shul auaunce;
To gode men ȝyueþ ȝoure benefyces
Line 10983
Þat kun hem kepe fro wykked vyces;
Þan make ȝe gode presentëment
To order of þys sacrament.
Also, haþ he wykkedly doun
Þat letteþ gode mannes eleccyoun;
Line 10988
'Eleccyoun' ys, 'weyl chesyng
A gode man to kepe holy þyng.'
Þese hyghë men do grete trespas,
Þat chese nat ryȝt, alas! alas!
Line 10992
Þát were wurþy, hem þey spare,
And þe vnwurþy auaunced are;
And, þat ys nat lytyl synne
To hem þat hyt ȝyuen, and eke so wynne;
Hyt may be tolde for symonye,
Line 10997
For ȝyfte to auaunce þe vnwurþy.
